


Unkind

by justdk



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst, M/M, fight and make up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-03-28 03:11:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13894995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justdk/pseuds/justdk
Summary: Andrew fucks up





	Unkind

**Author's Note:**

> Written to answer an anonymous prompt: "Hi! Don't know if you're still taking requests or anything... but how about an Andreil fight/argument where it was Andrew that did the wrong and upset Neil?"

Andrew blocks Neil’s shot and he blocks the one after that. They have been at this for… Andrew isn’t even sure how long, but it’s long enough for his arms to ache, for him to feel the impact of Neil’s rapid burst shots jarring his joints. Neil’s frustration is telling in his absolute silence and the mechanical movements he makes as he retrieves another ball. Andrew tosses his racquet to the side and walks away from the goal, toward Neil.

“You’re done,” he says, reaching out to pry the racquet from Neil’s fingers. Neil jerks away from him and swipes sweat from his forehead. His face is flushed from exertion, his icy blue eyes glinting. His perfectly irritating mouth tugs down in a hard frown.

“You don’t get to tell me when I’m done,” Neil rasps, edging away from Andrew.

He’s been like this all week, ever since a freak accident had sent Kevin to the hospital and put him out of commission for two weeks, doctor’s orders. They had won Friday’s game without their star player. Barely. Neil had run himself into the ground trying to do the job of two players instead of sharing the load with their other strikers. Now, instead of taking Saturday off like the rest of the team, he had dragged Andrew to the court for an endless practice.

Andrew grabs the front of Neil’s practice jersey and yanks him forward, making him stumble. Neil almost crashes into him, barely recovering his balance in time. Standing this close Andrew can feel Neil’s breath against his mouth. He wants to take Neil back to their room and dismantle him piece by piece, unwind the tension that has him strung so tight he’s barely functioning.

“Give it up, junkie,” Andrew says, his fingers tightening meaningfully in Neil’s jersey. “You can’t even keep your feet, let alone score on me.”

It is, apparently, the wrong thing to say.

Neil’s expression shifts from annoyed to angry in a moment. “Fuck you,” he replies, shoving Andrew’s hand away. “Just because we’re together… you can’t use _that_ to try and tell me what to do.”

Andrew stares, his fist clenched at his side. “We’re not together.”

Neil gapes and Andrew feels a sick curdle in his stomach; he’s made Neil Josten speechless, and that is a very bad thing.

Neil grips his racquet, twisting his hands around it, and stares off, over Andrew’s shoulder, like he can’t even stand to look at him.

“Fine,” Neil finally says. That fucking word lands heavily between them. “That’s fine. Since we’re not _together_ why don’t you get the fuck out so I can practice in peace?” He turns around and snags another ball before walking towards the other end of the court. Andrew wants to hurl his helmet at Neil’s retreating back.

“I drove us,” Andrew reminds him, though the idea of being trapped in the car with Neil when he’s like this makes Andrew’s skin itch.

“Then drive back,” Neil calls over his shoulder. “I’m walking.”

Andrew doesn’t chase after him, doesn’t make a parting shot though he wants to. He leaves the court, changes out in the empty, echoing locker room, and heads back to the parking lot where his Maserati is the only car in sight. He opens the driver’s side door and sprawls in the seat, cigarette dangling from his lips as he waits.

Neil lasts longer than Andrew would have expected. He’s been in the car smoking and messing with his phone for over an hour when he hears Neil locking up and slowly trudging down the sidewalk. He passes Andrew without a word, his form skirting in and out of light and shadow as he walks towards the end of the lot and the main road. Andrew starts up the car and follows him, driving at Neil’s pace and leaning out the window to talk to him.

“Neil, get in the car.”

Neil sighs but won’t look at him.

“Stop being pissy, Josten.”

Neil stops and tilts his head back to stare at the sky.

“I can’t do this right now,” Neil says, so quiet and dead that his words almost don’t reach him. “Leave me alone, Andrew.”

Andrew puts the car in park and opens the door. He’s not going to drag Neil into the car by force but he’s also not about to abandon him.

“Neil—”

Neil shakes his head and backs up. “This is me saying no, Andrew.” He doesn’t wait for Andrew’s response as he jogs away, his duffle bag bouncing off his hip, his sneakers loud on the sidewalk. The headlights illuminate him until he rounds the corner and disappears into the dark.

Back at the dorms Andrew avoids Nicky and Kevin and takes a long shower. Usually this helps him work out problems and find solutions but not tonight. He already knows what he should do: talk to Neil, apologize, take back the words he blurted out because he was too irritated to play nice and… _did he want to hurt Neil_? There was no reason to say they weren’t together, other than habit. It wasn’t a full year since they had started making out on the roof, less than that since he had told Neil to stay, since he had saved Neil’s life. He should be used to it, being with Neil, being _together_.

Andrew tilts his face up and lets the water spray over his closed eyelids, his cheeks and nose and lips. He hadn’t even intended to fight Neil; he had just wanted him to take a break, to rest. But his usual gruff approach had backfired and now Neil is out there in the dark, exhausted and sore and hurting and it’s his fault.

After he’s dried off and dressed Andrew checks the suite for Neil but Nicky says that he hasn’t seen him come in. Kevin is stewing, his leg propped up on a stack of textbooks while he studies his history notes. They’re all off their game since Kevin’s been laid up, their usual routines upended. Andrew grabs his cigarettes and phone and heads out the door, making his way to the roof.

On the way up he sends Neil a text, though there’s a 50/50 chance that Neil won’t see it. **I’m sorry. Let’s talk**

The door to the roof creaks open and Andrew smells the cigarette smoke before he spies Neil’s form hunched over at the edge of the roof. Neil’s shoulders twitch at the sound but he doesn’t turn. Andrew moves closer and Neil takes a drag, the tip of the cigarette illuminating the scarred profile of his face. It never ceases to amaze Andrew that Neil can abide the heat and fire after Lola, or that he can stomach Andrew’s knives after Nathan. Neil isn’t easily upset and that makes all of this worse.

Andrew settles next to Neil and lights up a cigarette. They’re close enough that he could lean over a few inches and their shoulders would brush or he could tangle his foot with Neil’s. The smoke rises around them and the campus is dark, the stars shimmering above. It would be nice if it weren’t for the tension.

“I’m tired of your bullshit,” Neil says. His voice is rough. He’s been running on sheer will power for days and his edges are showing.

“Elaborate.” Andrew breathes out the word, sending smoke chasing towards Neil’s face. It’s a dick move but it gets Neil’s attention at least.

Neil scowls and takes a shallow drag before setting his cigarette down between them. He leans back on his hands before lowering himself to the roof.

“I’m tired of you saying shit like ‘we’re not together’ when we _are_ together,” Neil answers. “You strangled Kevin for me, fought the FBI for me, broke your contract with Aaron for me, crippled Riko. For me.” Neil lets out a shaky breath. “I’m not an idiot like you say, I get it. Even though you don’t say it. Okay? But I can’t fucking take you saying we’re not something, not right now.”

Neil pulls his arms over his eyes and there’s a catch in his breathing that almost sounds like a sob. Andrew sets his cigarette next to Neil’s and leans over him, tugging his arms away from his face. Angry tears slide from the corners of Neil’s eyes, running over scars and catching in his sweat-damp hair.

“I didn’t mean it,” Andrew says quietly.

Neil sniffs and tries to clear the tears from his throat. “I- I _know_ that,” he retorts. “Obviously. If you had said that last week I probably would have laughed but there’s too much happening right now for me to joke.” Neil blinks hard and finally makes eye contact. He looks fierce, even with his eyes wet and shiny with tears. “I need you on my side, Andrew.” Neil reaches for him and Andrew takes his hand, their fingers sliding together, holding tight. Neil relaxes a little before squeezing harder. “You’re the one I always lean on,” he whispers, “don’t take that from me.”

“Never,” Andrew promises.

Neil’s throat bobs as he swallows and new tears fall but he’s smiling again. Andrew leans in, hovering over Neil until he hears a quiet but firm “yes” welcoming him back.

They spend so much time on the roof that Kevin’s passed out on the couch when they return to their room and Nicky’s gone, probably to play video games with Matt and Aaron. Andrew hauls Neil to the bathroom and finally gets him into the shower. Warm water falls into his hair and Neil’s warm hands hold onto his shoulders. Neil laughs into his mouth and digs his fingers into Andrew’s skin while they kiss. Gentle words will never be Andrew’s forte but he has other ways to show he cares, other means to make up for the unintentional pain he caused.

Much later, Neil snuggles under his arm and yawns, blinking up at him with a stupid smile on his face.

“We should fight more often,” Neil murmurs drowsily, “if that’s how you’re going to make it up to me.”

Andrew huffs and kisses Neil’s hair. “Go to sleep, Josten. You can fight me tomorrow.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was legit a Struggle for me. It took me a long time to think of something that Neil and Andrew might fight over, to think of what Andrew could do or say that would hurt Neil. I knew all along that Andrew would never intentionally hurt Neil or make him upset but I figured that there would have to be times when Andrew’s blunt words would get under Neil’s skin, especially when he’s already overwhelmed or sensitive. This was my attempt at them fighting. I don’t think they would hold onto their fights for very long, though. I also couldn’t imagine Andrew actually saying “I’m sorry” or Neil demanding a formal apology, like they would work it out their own way
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @dkafterdark


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